The Birth of the Bell Helicopter - 1930's through 1950's - archival video documentary

[gary]

Bartram "Bart" Kelley (1909-1998) was a pioneering helicopter
engineer who worked for Bell Helicopter company.

He narrates this remarkable video consisting entirely of archival footage
that chronicles the development by Arthur Young and his team
of what will become the Bell Helicopter, starting with Arthur working on his
own with tethered experimental models in the 1930's through many
iterations and experiments to the eventual evolution to the familiar
bubble-domed Bell Helicopter of the 1950's.

A testimony to engineering perseverance, dedication and ingenuity :-

https://youtu.be/k562IriqnlA

[pluto]

This looks fascinating, looking forward to watching when I have a chance! Thanks Gary :)

[multiweb]

What a great video! That first test pilot going through the rotor with just a broken arm to show for it should have played lotto on that day. Good to see the evolution of the various models and why things are designed this way today. That reminded me a bit of the car differential video.

[gary]

Hi Marc,

Isn't it a wonderful video and so lucky that Young documented everything
on film from the very start.

When the Bell pilot gets thrown from the horse and goes through the rotor
it makes you wince. But to survive it with just a broken arm!

So much for seat belts and safety helmets. Even early on when they are
testing models in static ground tests, you would think the ground
operators would have some head protection from the rotating blades.
Even a steel Army helmet! :lol:

When you consider that concurrently in 1946 the aircraft division of Bell
are flying the X-1 with similar well-documented "right-stuff" bravado,
it says something about the men and the times.

[strongmanmike]

Cheers Gary, great documentary :thumbsup:

Mike

[multiweb]

Yeah I kept looking at their heads especially in the earlier prototypes before they jacked up the rotor higher. No OH&S back in the day.